Harry Potter and the Living Dead
by barabara
Summary: Harry's enjoying another miserable summer at the Dursley's when a person he thought was dead shows up on his doorstep. Now he must try to figure out what's going on before he loses his godfather.. Or his brains.
1. A Very Sirius Reunion

**Part One: A Very Sirius Reunion**

For all intents and purposes, the windows of Harry's small room could have still had bars on their windows. The wanderings of the past summer were now strictly forbidden, as if the moment he stepped out the door untold horrors would sweep down upon his relatives. Dudley and Uncle Vernon no longer spoke to him, as if by pretending he weren't there would make him truly go away, and all Aunt Petunia would say were curt, simple phrases, orders for the most part, and she would rarely stay around for a reply. Harry didn't mind though, he didn't feel much like talking anyway. In fact, he didn't feel much like doing anything. Occasionally he'd wander downstairs for food, but for the most part he sat in his room and stared out the window.

He was doing exactly that on a clear night in mid-July when he saw someone emerge from the shadows across Privet Drive and make their way towards number four. Millions of possibilities ran through his mind, but nothing could have prepared him for the reality of the situation.

He didn't cry out; he didn't even think. Harry just jumped off the bed and ran through the house as if possessed, not caring who was woken up by his mad dash. Deep in his mind he thought that maybe he should be cautious, this could be any number of things, but his eyes only told him one thing, and that was more important than any of the possible dangers. And once he threw open the front door and came face to face with the mysterious figure, any terror he should have felt was swallowed in a sea of joy.

Sirius Black was standing on his doorstep.

All the energy that had propelled Harry through the house suddenly left him, and he started to shake.

'Sirius…' He asked, his voice sounding like tears had finally caught up with him, 'Is that really you?'

Sirius didn't answer; instead, he reached out with an unsteady hand and ruffled his Godson's hair. It was then Harry did cry, and he threw his arms around the godfather he thought he'd lost forever. Sirius, however, was rigid and unresponsive, so Harry quickly let go and stepped back, slightly embarrassed about his display of emotion.

'Er,' Harry stammered, 'Would you like to come inside?' Sirius didn't answer, so Harry turned and walked back into the house. When he looked back at his godfather, he was following Harry inside with slow, jerky movements.

'We'll have to be really quiet so the Durselys don't wake up,' he told him - thankfully his relatives hadn't been roused by his sprint through their house - but of course, Sirius had yet to say anything, so Harry didn't think that would be a problem. Maybe wherever Sirius had gone when he fell through that veil took away his power of speech. Thinking about that only brought back bad memories, and Harry's eyes started to tear again, and he tried to wipe them with the back of his sleeve as discreetly as possible.

When they got to his room, Harry ushered Sirius inside and quietly closed the door behind them. Sirius stood in the middle of Harry's room, looking a little lost. In the pale moonlight Harry could see that Sirius was worse for the wear; his skin was now beyond pale and marred with purple blotches, there were huge dark bags beneath his eyes, which had an almost cloudy appearance to them, and.. Was that drool on his chin?

Harry gestured to his bed, 'Feel free to have a seat.' Sirius stiffly walked across the room, and with much effort, as if bending was a great task for him, sat down on the edge of the bed. Inwardly Harry was kicking himself; for weeks Harry had thought about the million things he would say to his godfather if he saw him again, but here he was in that situation and all he could say was feel free to have a seat? But it wasn't like Sirius was making things easy; his godfather had yet to utter a single word.

'So, what brings you to Little Whinging?' Harry asked, without thinking, trying to coax something out of him. Sirius made a noise that was halfway between a moan and a grunt, and Harry supposed that was the closest he'd get to a conversation right now. Who knows what untold horrors Sirius had encountered on the other side of that veil? He would just have to help Sirius in whatever way he could, but he didn't know where to begin. He knew he should probably ask someone for help, but who? Dumbledore was obviously the most knowledgeable choice, but Harry didn't really want to ask him. Hermione or Ron would be glad to aid him however they could, and he'd be glad to ask for their help, but neither of them would be much use without the library to back them up.

Then it struck him; he should ask Lupin! Not only did he know a lot about magic, but he was also probably the closest person to Sirius after Harry. He grabbed a scrap of paper and a quill, and after chewing on the tip thoughtfully for a moment, wrote out his message:

  


_Lupin,_

How have you been? I ran into a friend of ours the other day. He seems a bit worse for the wear, but nothing a good meal and a game of fetch won't fix. My summer homework is going well. I hope you're ok, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Harry

  


There, he thought, that was cryptic enough so that if it were intercepted it might be passed off as nothing more than a note between friends. He opened Hedwig's cage and she flew out and landed on his arm, sticking out her leg so he could attach the message.

'Take this to Lupin, ok?' he said, and she hooted in reply. She launched from his arm and, after circling Sirius once, flew out the window into the night. 

Harry sat down on his bed beside his unmoving godfather. 'Don't worry Sirius,' he said, more to encourage himself than the older man, 'Help is on the way. You'll be back to your old self in no time.'

  
  


_When will Harry realize what's -really- wrong with his godfather? What will Lupin's reply be? And most importantly, was Sirius ruffling Harry's hair out of affection, or just scoping out his next meal? Tune in again, same bat time, same bat channel!_


	2. Three's Company

**Part Two: Three's Company**

When Hedwig tapped at Harry's window with a reply tied to her leg, Harry nearly fell off his bed from the shock of a break in the silence that had filled the room. The few hours that had elapsed since he sent off his letter had been the most awkward of his life. Sirius hadn't moved from his spot on Harry's bed the entire time, and Harry had noticed that he was, in fact, drooling, and didn't exactly smell lemon-fresh. His suggestion that his godfather go clean himself up was responded to with silence, and when Harry brought him a wet cloth he grunted and seemed downright surly until Harry backed away. The subject wasn't brought up again.

Recovering his composure, he opened the window and she flew in and landed on his shoulder, her talons digging into him with a sense of urgency. He took the note from her leg and read the three words it contained.

_Open your door._

Hedwig flew from his shoulder into her cage, and Harry approached the door to his room, hoping that the answers to his problems were on the other side.

Instead, he found one very angry Remus Lupin.

'What do you think you're playing at?' his former professor said in a very angry whisper, quietly entering Harry's room and closing the door behind him. 'I don't know what you meant by that note, but...' His eyes widened and he stopped his quiet tirade when he noticed the person sitting on the bed.

'Oh my god...' Lupin muttered as he slowly stepped forward, looking as if he were a dream. He quickly snapped back to reality, however, and turned to Harry. 'What exactly is going on here?'

'He just showed up at my doorstep…'

Lupin cut him off, 'And you brought him in? Sirius died, Harry, we have to accept that.' He paused, as if that hurt him to say, but quickly regained his composure, 'For all we know he's a Death Eater pretending to be Sirius so he can take you straight to Voldemort!'

Harry flinched, for he realized how foolish he had been, believing without a doubt that this person sitting on the bed, seemingly oblivious to what was going on, was his godfather. But still…

'Is there any way…' Harry asked, 'I mean, to find out if it's him or not?'

Lupin looked thoughtful for a moment, and then pulled his wand from his sleeve. 'There was one spell, but I haven't used it in ages.' He pointed his wand at Sirius, and said the spell so quietly Harry could barely hear him.

'Verus.'

At first it seemed like nothing was happening, but then slowly a pale golden glow spread all over Sirius' body, shining even through his clothes. Sirius didn't seem to like that, and starting grunting and uselessly clawing at his arms. It didn't last long though, because Lupin suddenly dropped his wand and fell to his knees, breaking the spell as his concentration was lost.

'Professor Lupin!' Harry exclaimed, running to his side, 'Are you alright? What was that?'

'It's him,' Lupin said, pushing away Harry's hands and getting to his feet, 'It's really him.' Within the span of a heartbeat he had crossed the distance between himself and Sirius and, eyes welling with tears, thrown his arms around the other man. Sirius responded by slowly reaching up, taking Lupin's head in his hands, and then leaning forward to press his mouth against the spot right above Lupin's temple.

Lupin cried out and pulled back, his hand going up to his temple. Sirius reached for him, but Lupin stepped back, mumbling something Harry thought was along the lines of 'not in front of Harry.'

'Are you alright?' Harry asked him, slightly concerned over Lupin's reaction.

'I'm fine,' Lupin said, not looking at all fine, 'It's just, he… Well, he bit me.' He lowered his hand and Harry saw that it was covered in blood, which was seeping from his temple. Lupin quickly magicked the wound away, but that didn't get rid of the fact that Sirius had drawn blood.

'Why did you bite Lupin?' Harry scolded. Sirius blinked, then reached out for Lupin while making a strange gargling noise.

Lupin looked at his old friend sadly. 'Who knows what he went through on the other side of that veil? In fact, who knows how he got back through?'

'What does it matter?' Harry said, 'He's back!'

'I suppose you're right. But still, there are a few things I'd like to check out, some people I'd like to talk with. Harry, can I ask you something?' He took his eyes off Sirius and turned to the young boy.

'What?'

'Can you hide Sirius here for a couple days? I'd take him back to my house, but tomorrow's a full moon...' He trailed off and looked out the window.

'Of course!' Harry exclaimed, 'I don't mind having him here! The Dursleys never come into my room!'

'Ok,' Lupin looked as if he weren't entirely certain that it was a good idea, but Harry didn't care. Sirius was back, and Sirius was staying with him. 'Just let me know if anything goes wrong. But if it's tomorrow night, alert Dumbledore. Promise me?'

Harry promised, and then Lupin gave Sirius one last look before turning to the door. But before he had shut it behind him, he turned and looked back into the room at Harry.

'Remember, if anything goes wrong, anything at all.'

'Of course!' Harry practically shooed him from the room. He heard a faint pop, which meant that Lupin had disapparated.

'So I guess it's just you and me now?' Turning back to his godfather, Harry's face broke out into the first true smile in months. Sirius gurgled again, and Harry took it that that meant that he was happy too.


	3. Weekend at Harry’s

**Part Three: Weekend at Harry's**

Harry didn't remember falling asleep, but the fact that he woke up with the sun peeking through his curtains proved he had. A quick check found Sirius slumped in the corner of his room, eyes half closed and drooling enough that Harry thought he must have dozed off as well. His whole room was starting to have the same nauseating order he noticed on Sirius, so he opened his window to let in a breeze, and then quietly left his room so as not to wake him.

Harry wasn't hungry, he rarely was these days, but he figured Sirius might want something to eat when he woke, so he slipped down to the kitchen where he heard the undeniable sounds of breakfast. The Dursley's didn't even acknowledge his presence; they were too caught up in a news report about a group of savage attacks that had occurred the previous night. Five muggles had been found dead, their heads torn open and their brains removed. Harry wondered if the Death Eaters had been involved, and was glad that Sirius had made it to his house safely before he had become a victim himself.

'Oi, Mum!' Dudley said with a mouthful of sausage, 'Some of those were right near here!' The Dursley's eyes all flickered towards Harry, as if they all thought the attacks were somehow his fault but were too afraid to say anything. Harry decided it was best to make his exit before one of them decided to actually talk to him, so he grabbed a few pieces of toast and practically fled back up the stairs.

When he reached his door, he heard Hedwig shriek within. The sudden rush that accompanies terror swept through Harry, and with an unsteady hand he slowly opened his door and peered inside.

Hedwig's cage was lying open, and she was flying in frantic circles as close to the roof as she possibly could. Sirius was obviously now awake, and was batting at the owl unsuccessfully in an attempt to catch her.

'What's going on here?' Harry exclaimed, nearly dropping the toast in surprise. Sirius stopped what he was doing and gave an odd grunt, but Hedwig refused to come down; instead, she landed on the top of Harry's wardrobe and it almost seemed as if she were glaring at Sirius.

'Hedwig, come down from there!' Harry called out, but she just gave an indignant hoot and then turned around so her back was to them.

'Bloody owl.' He muttered, then turned to his godfather and handed him the toast. 'I got you this.' Sirius took the toast and looked at it as if he wasn't quite sure what it was. After a moment's deliberation, he put it in his mouth and gummed it a bit, before spitting it out with a disgusted look.

'I'm sorry, but that's all I could get,' Harry sighed.

Sirius glanced up at Hedwig atop the wardrobe, and then, grunting something to himself, sat down stiffly in the corner of Harry's room with the best view of the owl.

If Harry thought having someone to share his temporary exile from the wizarding world would make it more bearable, he was wrong; Sirius still just sat there, and after Sirius won the twentieth staring-contest in a row (though Harry doubted he knew he was even participating) Harry's eyes began to feel heavy. Having nothing better to do, he didn't fight it and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

A piercing shriek woke him up quickly enough. He jumped to his feet, and a brief glance out the window told him it was early in the evening. Hysterical sobbing could now be heard, and he pulled out his wand and turned to his godfather, his heart racing and adrenaline shooting through his viens.

'Don't move,' Harry said in a firm voice, as if he were talking to a dog, 'I'm going to go check it out.'

Sirius didn't seem to be paying attention, but Harry couldn't spare the time needed to make sure his godfather understood. He slowly opened his door and peered into the hall, and seeing nothing unusual in sight he followed the wailing through the house. The sound grew louder towards the back of the house, and when he reached the back door he saw that it had been left wide open.

Not knowing quite what to expect he stepped outside, only to be faced with his aunt, uncle, and what remained of Dudley.

The source of the sobbing was Aunt Petunia, who clutched her son and rocked him back and forth, not seeming to mind that the blood seeping from the gaping hole in his head was ruining her dress. Uncle Vernon stood beside them, his face as white as a sheet and his hands twitching at his sides, unable to handle the scene before him. An unfinished cigarette burned brightly near Dudley's lifeless foot; he must have sneaked outside for a smoke when tragedy struck. And Harry surveyed this all and didn't feel nearly as sad as he thought he should.

Harry lowered his wand, and the motion caught his uncle's attention.

'YOU!' Uncle Vernon bellowed, his face going redder than Harry had ever imagined possible, 'YOU DID THIS! YOU KILLED MY SON! YOU MUST HAVE KILLED ALL THOSE PEOPLE ON THE TELLY AND NOW YOU'VE DONE IN DUDLEY! YOU RIPPED THE BRAIN RIGHT OUT OF HIS HEAD!'

_There wasn't much there to begin with_, Harry thought, but before he could open his mouth to say anything in his defense his uncle lunged at him. Luckily Harry had a seeker's reflexes and dodged out of the way before his uncle's hands had a chance to find their way around his throat.

'Vernon,' his Aunt Petunia's eerily calm voice stopped them both in their tracks, 'Let him go.' She looked up from her son and stared right into Harry's eyes. 'Go away,' she told him without so much as a hint of emotion, 'Go away and if you come back I swear to God I'll let Vernon kill you.'

Harry nodded his acknowledgement, then turned and went back into the house, closing the door behind him. Almost the instant it shut, his aunt's sobs resumed, this time joined by those of his uncle.

He didn't waste any time in throwing all his things into his trunk as Sirius stood there and watched, looking as if he had eaten something that disagreed with him.

'We've got to go now, Sirius,' Harry told him, hoping for once he'd understand, 'So I'm going to throw my invisibility cloak over you and you'll follow me, ok?'

Sirius blinked, and Harry took that for understanding. He wrapped his invisibility cloak around his godfather's shoulders and pulled up the hood; it was a bit short and his feet stuck out the bottom, but Harry figured nobody would notice and at least that way he'd be able to see where he was.

When he made it to the street Harry didn't pause to look back, he just kept on walking, carrying Hedwig's cage with one hand, dragging his trunk with the other, and the disembodied feet of Sirius keeping an even pace behind him.


End file.
